Cessna 172 accident near Holland, Michigan, February 18, 1995
On February 18, 1995 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N79569, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Park Township Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
delayed remedial action by the flight instructor. Factors in the accident were the student pilot not maintaining directional control once airborne.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1995 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Park Township Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N79569 · no longer on the register · serial 172-58183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRTOR SAID HE HAD DISCUSSED CROSSWIND TAKEOFF TECHNIQUES WITH THE STUDENT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. HE SAID THE STUDENT PILOT BEGAN TO PERFORM A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF AND CORRECTED FOR A LEFT DRIFT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT, ITS LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE STRUCK A THREE-FOOT HIGH SNOWBANK THAT WAS ON THE RUNWAY EDGE. THE COLLISION PULLED THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE TO THE LEFT, ITS NOSE GEAR TIRE COLLIDED WITH THE SNOWBANK, AND THE AIRPLANE '...FLIPPED ON ITS BACK AND SLID TO A STOP.' THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE RELAXED TOO MUCH DURING THE TAKEOFF.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 805 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command; 329 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,781 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 27, 1994; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLM at 8:30 pm
- Destination: HLM MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,999 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from GRR, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.